The No. 4 Lakehead Thunderwolves rode a second period offensive explosion Friday night on their way to routing the Windsor Lancers 11-2 before 2950 fans at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. The win gives the Thunderwolves a 2-0 sweep in their best-of-three OUA Far West Division Semi-Finals.
The Thunderwolves had very balanced scoring, getting tallies from 9 different players. Lakehead was led by Captain Joel Scherban with 2 goals and an assist, Robert Hillier with 2 goals and an assist, Jeff Richards with 3 assists, Murray Magill and Aaron Piccinin with a goal and an assist each, and Matt Kenny with 2 assists.
Penalties proved very costly to Windsor as Lakehead's lethal powerplay scored 5 consecutive PP goals in the second period to set a new team record. They also tallied one shorthanded goal. Windsor's normally steady goaltending tandem of Kevin Rivest and Derrick Laporte had a tough night, facing 50 Lakehead shots, many of them dangerous scoring chances. Lakehead goaltender Grant McCune faced 13 Windsor shots, including a penalty shot which he saved. Dan Murrell and Kyle Trudell scored Windsor's goals.
Lakehead's Murray Magill opened the scoring in the first with a beautiful goal at 3:20. He slipped the puck through the Windsor defenseman's legs, then dropped goaltender Rivest with a fake and lifted the puck upstairs. Windsor's Dan Murrell tied it at 8:56 on during a 5 on 3 powerplay when he tipped in a shot from the point past a screened McCune. Lakehead retook the lead at 11:25 when Leon Cooper fooled Rivest with a quick wrist shot between the goaltender's legs. Kyle Trudell tied it for Windsor at 18:52 when Lakehead defender Shawn Perring cut in front of his own net and Trudell took a quick swipe at the puck that knocked it past a surprised Grant McCune. Lakehead outshot Windsor 18-5 in the first period.
The second was a penalty filled affair with the Thunderwolves taking full advantage of their PP opportunities. The Thunderwolves quickly opened the scoring at 1:03 when Robert Hillier flipped the puck over the fallen Lancer goaltender. From then on it was all Lakehead as the Thunderwolves ran up their string of 5 powerplay goals in less than eight minutes to put away the game. Scherban started at 1:52 when he put a nice move on Rivest, then skated around the fallen goalie to put the puck in the net. Aaron Piccin blasted a one-timer in at 3:37, set up by a great pass from Richards. Bryan Duce ripped a blast from the point at 7:04 that Rivest never saw. Windsor Head Coach Vern Stenlundthen put Derrick Laporte in the Lancer goal but he would fare little better. Lakehead's Mike Jacobsen made it 7-2 on a excellent individual play; flying past a Windsor defenseman, faking Laporte left, then roofing the puck in the top right corner. Jeff Adduono finished off the powerplay blitz, knocking in a rebound off a point shot by Jason Lange. Lakehead goaltender Grant McCunemade a good sliding save off a penalty shot by Windsor's Joel Cort. Lakehead outshot Windsor 16-3 in the second period.
The third period was very clean, perhaps because the outcome was no longer in doubt. Lakehead's Brad Bartlett made it 9-2 when he beat Laporte with a low slapshot at 4:36. Joel Scherban one-timed a pretty shorthanded goal at 9:37, set up by a lovely soft pass by Jeff Richards. Robert Hillier ended the scoring at 15:27 when he knocked in a rebound off a point shot by Matt Kenny. Lakehead outshot Windsor 16-5 in the third and 50-13 in the game.
Lakehead Head Coach Pete Belliveau was happy with Lakehead's intensity and balanced play. "I thought our team played very well tonight, with a lot of intensity. I like the fact that our scoring was spread throughout the team as well. The Windsor Lancers showed a lot of class in this series, and I really appreciate that. So, we'll enjoy the feeling tonight and then we'll regroup and get ready for Western."
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